1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a steam oven with a removable vessel for supplying fluid to a steam generator and for receiving fluid drained from the steam generator.
2. Description of the Related Art
Steam ovens typically comprise a heating system, as in a conventional oven, for heating a cooking cavity and a steam system for generating steam from water and introducing the steam into the cooking cavity to facilitate the baking process. Water can be supplied to the steam system from a main water supply or by a user through a water inlet accessible to the user. In the latter case, the inlet can be adapted to receive water directly poured by the user or to mate with a portable vessel that stores a supply of water. The manner in which water is provided to the steam generator is particularly important for household ovens. The dimensions of household ovens, whether freestanding or built-in, are set by industry standards, and, preferably, the amount of space dedicated to the water supply system (and other systems of the oven) is minimized so as to maximize the size of the cooking cavity. Thus, water supply systems that do not diminish the size of the cooking cavity are desirable.
Some steam ovens further include a separate drain system to drain water from the steam system. The drain system directs unused water to a main water drain or a storage tank accessible by the user. The draining feature can be used for maintaining the oven and to remove water from the steam generator when the steam system is only occasionally employed. Drainage systems can also be used for passing descaling agents through the steam system to remove the hard mineral coating that tends to form on the inside surfaces of the steam generator. The user can introduce the descaling agent into the steam system as a fluid through the water supply inlet, and, after removal of the hard mineral coating, the descaling agent leaves the steam system through the drain system.